Shirley Jean Rickert
Encyclopedia
Shirley Jean Rickert was an American child actress who was briefly the "blonde girl" for the Our Gang
series in 1931, during the Hal Roach
talkie period.
and Bargain Day
, in which her split-curls were the centerpiece of her precocious performance. After Rickert left the Our Gang series, she had a brief movie career, followed by a string of jobs including driving trucks for the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II
. She later worked in burlesque
as a stripper.
In the mid-1970s, she became a traveling saleswoman for industrial hardware. Late in life, she performed in local theater productions, helped maintain a Web site for her fans and occasionally appeared at film festivals and conventions. She also sold her crafts at a local shop with her daughter's family.
Our Gang
Our Gang, also known as The Little Rascals or Hal Roach's Rascals, was a series of American comedy short films about a group of poor neighborhood children and the adventures they had together. Created by comedy producer Hal Roach, the series is noted for showing children behaving in a relatively...
series in 1931, during the Hal Roach
Hal Roach
Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach, Sr. was an American film and television producer and director, and from the 1910s to the 1990s.- Early life and career :Hal Roach was born in Elmira, New York...
talkie period.
Career
Rickert's most notable appearances were in the films Love BusinessLove Business
Love Business is a 1931 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 104th Our Gang short that was released.-Plot:...
and Bargain Day
Bargain Day
Bargain Day is a 1931 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 106th Our Gang short that was released.-Plot:...
, in which her split-curls were the centerpiece of her precocious performance. After Rickert left the Our Gang series, she had a brief movie career, followed by a string of jobs including driving trucks for the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. She later worked in burlesque
American burlesque
American Burlesque is a genre of variety show. Derived from elements of Victorian burlesque, music hall and minstrel shows, burlesque shows in America became popular in the 1860s and evolved to feature ribald comedy and female striptease...
as a stripper.
In the mid-1970s, she became a traveling saleswoman for industrial hardware. Late in life, she performed in local theater productions, helped maintain a Web site for her fans and occasionally appeared at film festivals and conventions. She also sold her crafts at a local shop with her daughter's family.
